Mets falter late as Red Sox win first game in Worcester's Polar Park, 8-5, on Tuesday

The Syracuse Mets got off to a fast start but couldn’t hold on in an 8-5 loss to the Worcester Red Sox on Tuesday afternoon in the first game ever at Polar Park in Worcester, MA. The Red Sox scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take their first lead of the game en route to the win.

Syracuse (1-6) struck first in the top of the first inning. Johneshwy Fargas led off with a hit to left-center field, but he was thrown out at third base trying to stretch a double into a triple for the first out of the inning. Jake Hager followed with a single, extending his hitting streak to seven games. After Wilfredo Tovar lined out, Brandon Drury singled to put runners at first and third base. Deivy Grullon followed with a single that scored Hager for a 1-0 lead. Khalil Lee then singled to score Drury and give the Mets a 2-0 advantage.

Worcester (3-4) got on the board in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, Marcus Wilson homered to right field, cutting the Syracuse edge to one, 2-1.

The Mets extended their lead in the top of the fifth. With one out, Martin Cervenka homered to left field, making it a 3-1 ballgame.

The Red Sox responded in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, Josh Ockimey walked. Jarren Duran followed with a two-run homer that tied the game, 3-3.

Syracuse regained the lead in the sixth. With one out, Deivy Grullon homered over the right-center-field wall to give the Mets a 4-3 edge.

Worcester scored the decisive runs in the seventh. Jack Lopez led off with a single. Ockimey followed with a two-run homer to right field, giving the Red Sox their first lead of the day, a 5-4 advantage. Durran followed with another home run, his second of the afternoon, as Worcester took a 6-4 lead.

The Mets did respond in the top of the eighth. With one out and runners at second and third, Khalil Lee singled home a run, trimming the Red Sox lead to one, 6-5. David Thompson followed with a walk to load the bases with one out, but a strikeout and a fly out ended the frame.

The Red Sox added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth with a Michael Gettys RBI single and an Ockimey sacrifice fly to push the score to its final mark of 8-5.

Syracuse and Worcester continue their six-game series on Wednesday night. Right-hander Franklyn Kilomé will pitch for the Mets while right-hander Daniel Gossett will be on the mound for the Red Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.